Automatic derailer



N M d 1. o e G. 0. SHARPB.

AUTOMATIC DBRAILER.

lhvrrnn Smarts Farrar @prima GEORGE O. SHARPE, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC DERAILER.

SPECFXCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,362, dated February 22, 1898. Application-died September 25, 1897. Serial No. 653,065. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. SHARPE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oolumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Derailers for Drawbridges, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to derailment of cars at open drawbridges, having for its object to provide an automatic means for opening a switch whenever a drawbridge is open; and the invention consists in the combination of a special switch in the track, to be automatically opened by the swinging of the bridge for derailment of cars should they be not otherwise stopped. The switch is also again shut by the return of the bridge.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a railway-track and the end of a bridge, showing the construction and application of my invention for the purpose above stated. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the end of a bridge and the abutment, showing a segmental cam having a segment of teeth meshing with a rack-bar on the bridge. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the switch-point, its supporting-plate and operating-bar under said plate. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the switchpoint-supporting plate. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the switch-point. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the point-operating bar. Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the switch-point, supportingplate, and operatingbar, showing a retractil] gspring for holdin g the switch-point in the open position.

A represents the track of a railway, and B the end of a swing or draw bridge.

O is a bed-plate for a switch-point, resting on the ties at a suitable distance from the bridge. D is a switch-point supported on said bed-plate, and E is a curved rail diverging from the main rail at the toe of the switchpoint. Through the heel of the switch-point is put a strong bolt F, passing down through the bed-plate. i

G is a fiat bar underneath the bed-plate, having its broad end attached to the said bolt F at one corner, with the nut f on the under side of the bar. At about mid-length of the switch-point D the said bar G is also secured by means of a bolt Il, which passes through a slot h in the bed-plate. The ties are cut away sufficiently to give room for the play of said bar G.

At the abutment end of the railway-track is provided a means for operating said switchpoint, consisting of a box K, secured underneath the end of the rail R.

L is a cam or segment of a gear pivoted on a strong pin or bolt m through the box K. The teeth ot said cam or gear project sufiiciently beyond the abutment to allow of engagement with a rack-bar N on the end of the bridge-frame.

O is a long connecting-rod attached to the bar G at the corner opposite to the bolt F, connecting said bar with the cam or gear L near the pivot m. The rod O may be inclosed in a'pipe.

S is a spring iixed between a bracket T on the under side of the bed-plate C and a bracket u on the bolt I-I under the bar G, provided for the purpose of holding the toe of the switohpoint open.

The operations of this device are apparent from the foregoing to be as follows: Whenever the bridge is turned for opening either way, the rack-bar N will turn the cam or segment L, and this will pull the rod O, which pulls on the bar G, turning it and the switch- -point on the bolt F and, in conjunction with the spring, throwing the toe of the point away from the rail, thereby opening the switch, so that if cars proceed beyond that point they will run off the track and be derailed, and thus avoid the liability of their running into an open draw.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a derailing device, the combination with the main and switch tracks supported on a bed-plate O resting on the ties, of a switch-point D, also supported on said bedplate, a bar G under the bed-plate, a bolt F connecting the heel of the switch point through the bed-plate and fixed in the heel of the bar G, a bolt H fixed in the middle of the switch-point and extending through a slot 7i in the bed-plate, and also fixed to the bar G, a bracket T on the bed-plate, and a spring S between said bracket and the bolt T, the said spring adapted to hold the switch-point normally set for continuous passage of cars IOO on the main track, a long rod O connecting the heel of bar G with a cam or segment gear L set under the rail R at the abutment, and adapted to be actuated by a rack N on the end of a swing-bridge, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the lnain and switch tracks of a switch-point normally set for continuous passage of cars on the main track, of a mechanism situated in the abutment adjoining a drawbridge, and means attached to the drawbridge whereby the opening of the drawbridge will automatically throw open the switch for diverting cars from the main track, and upon the return of the drawbridge the switch will be again set to restore the continuous passage on the main track, substantially as described.

GEORGE C. SHARPE. Vitnesses:

Guo. W. TiBBITTs, JAMES LAURENCE. 

